SOCRATES - CHAPTER I In the proposal for a European Parliament and Council decision establishing the Community action programme Socrates (presented by the Commission), the programme includes three chapters : Chapter I : Higher education Chapter II : School education Chapter III : Horizontal actions to promote : language skills, open and distance education and learning information and exchange of experiences. Chapter I consists of 3 actions : ACTION 1 : Measures to promote the European dimension in higher education institutions (30_% of the budget of chapter I = 35.5 Mio ECU for 1995) - Drawing on the experience gained from Erasmus, the Commission will continue to encourage transnational cooperation between universities, especially through the development of partnerships with ICP-type activities (student mobility, teaching staff mobility, joint development of new curricula, intensive programmes). - Encourage the European dimension in all areas of study. - Introduction or extension of the ECTS credit transfer system in all departments. - Universities wishing to set up activities for long- term cooperation with a European dimension are able to conclude an "institutional contract" with the Commission. The institutional contract The key innovation at administrative level is the institutional contract designed for the benefit of higher education establishments wishing to introduce a European dimension and actively encourage physical and "intellectual" student mobility, in the form of inter- university cooperation agreements, distance education, linguistic preparation and ECTS all brought within a single comprehensive budget line. The Erasmus ICPs are to continue in their present form for a transitional period prior to their integration into the system of institutional contracts. The institutional contract will be for higher education institutions wishing to introduce a European dimension into their activities. The European dimension supported by these institutional contracts will include both transnational (inter-university) cooperation activities and activities undertaken within institutions (and targeted at the whole student population). - The transnational cooperation activities will include student mobility (which remains the principal objective of the Programme), teaching staff mobility, joint programmes and intensive programmes as well as - if the institution so wishes - measures to introduce or extend the use of the ECTS credit transfer system, and other transnational activities. - The activities with a European dimension undertaken within institutions will involve the whole academic and student population (whether mobile or not) through the introduction into curricula of cultural, political, economic or social aspects from other Member States as well as elements related to European integration, and through the teaching of other Community languages and in particular those less used. - In addition, the contract could provide for encouragement to introduce the teaching methods, techniques and informatics of open and distance education. The institutional contracts are intended to safeguard the "bottom-up" approach currently operating within the ICPs but, in addition, by allowing for some rationalisation at institutional level (one contract rather than many), they will also encourage institutions to establish a coherent policy on European cooperation ("top-down"). Example of an institutional contract In the framework of the Erasmus Programme, a university may participate in a large number of ICPs (say, 30) of which it might coordinate a selection (say, 10). This university is thus, directly or indirectly, involved in 30 contracts with the Commission. The "institutional contract" seeks to replace all such contracts, along with their associated administration (accounting, reporting procedures etc.), with a single contract based on an overall plan per institution. Besides involving the centrally-administered facilities of the instituion (reception office, language courses etc.), the overall plan would be based on activities to be undertaken by faculties or departments. The head of the institution would draw up a list of intended partners and a mobility estimate on the basis of consultations with the faculties concerned, in order to achieve a balanced participation from all areas of study. ACTION 2 : European University Networks (5_% of the budget of chapter I = 6 Mio ECU for 1995) Thematic university networks The Socrates Programme proposes a new type of group at European level, namely the "thematic network". It is intended that this should group together all departments or faculties from a single disicpline or field of study. The purpose of such groups is to provide their members with a structure for subject analysis and reflection on future developments at European level in order to facilitate an exchange of views and experience, and to promote qualitative and innovative developments, such as comparability of teaching programmes, improvement of teaching methods, implementation of research findings or the effectiveness of training in respect of the needs of the targeted profession. N.B. : The thematic European university networks are not intended to replace the ICPs. Rather, they would create a scientific forum in which faculties would be free to participate. The thematic networks will be able to apply for financial support for the following : - evaluation of curricula for specific disciplines; - design of joint programmes and specialised courses; - scientific analysis relating to a specific area of studies; - information services for network members. Example of a thematic network Law faculties in Europe might decide to set up a thematic network (discipline-based) in order to discuss legal education in Europe, the teaching methods employed, curricula content, and career opportunities for lawyers. The network could include regular dialogue with various associations of practising lawyers already established at European level. Certain sub-disciplines (criminal law, commercial law) could be set up within the overall network for "law". University Groupings The Socrates Programme introduces a type of network which has been little exploited until now, namely "groups of universities" at regional, cross-border or other level in order to develop certain joint activities, especially those in cooperation with other regional bodies and members of the business and social community, in areas like student accommodation and organisation of language courses. Such groupings would encourage better coverage of needs, through economies of scale. Example of a group of universities Higher education institutions in one region might decide to create a centre for foreign languages in cooperation with the region's local authorities and with the support of the local chamber of commerce and industry. This centre, offering specialised courses, could serve equally students, teachers, the participating universities and other professionals within the region. ACTION 3 : Financing of mobility grants for students (62_% of the budget of chapter I = 70 Mio ECU for 1995) **********Last updated on 09/01/1995**********